Immunology PhD – (Ph.D.)

PhD programmes are based on individual research projects that last 3 or 4 years, working with a specific academic supervisor (principle investigators). Applicants are specifically matched with a principle investigator based on their research interests and background.

Appropriate control of the immune system is essential for a number of reasons. In the context of infectious disease and cancer, it is important to generate immune responses to counter these threats. Excessive immune responses against infectious agents, however, can themselves be a cause of pathology. Other causes of immune mediated pathology are immune responses against self, which lead to autoimmunity, or against harmless antigens, which lead to allergy or hypersensitivity. It is therefore important to understand how the immune system is regulated. CD4 T cells are considered primary co-ordinators of adaptive immune responses, with dendritic cells and cytokines playing crucial roles in determining CD4 T cell function. Understanding the interactions of these elements will not only help in the development of approaches to manipulate the immune system to induce the appropriate responses against infectious agents and tumours, but also to prevent inappropriate responses against self and harmless chemicals.